1. Field of the Invention
The invention provides a lift shaft comprising a stack of separate self-supporting prefabricated shaft modules, each module having a structural strength sufficient to support the module or modules above, whereby the shaft can be supported from a lower module; an uppermost module containing winding apparatus for a lift car and a counterweight to raise and lower the car and a counterweight in the shaft; and each module having door means operable in conjunction with the lift car to provide access to and from the car when the car is disposed in the respective module.
2. Description of Background and Relevant Information
The lift shaft system defined above provides a much faster way of installing and commissioning lifts involving prefabricating lift shaft modules including lift motor rooms for erection on site.
The lift shafts are made, preferably, of sheet steel sections which are joined together to form tubes with open tops and bottoms.
These tubes are typically sized to meet individual building floor to floor height dimensions and the number of lifts required in each shaft. The only restrictions imposed on the sizing of the shafts is determined by transportation or crane capacity limitations.
A lift shaft construction of this kind is known from the DD-PS 90 202. The shaft modules are made of sheet steel or plastics. The lowermost module is bolted on a base plate. The upper and lower peripheries of the modules have flange fittings with guide brackets. Once stacked, the modules are bolted or bonded. The uppermost module contains the equipment to raise and lower the lift car in the shaft. The main disadavantage of the known lift shaft construction lies in the extensive requirement for skilled on-site labor for lift installation work. Another disadvantage is that for the inherent equipment of the modules, there is neither a weather proof nor a dirt-proof protection during transport and on site installation work.